The Good, The Bad, & The Queenreleased their debut album way back in 2007 and have long been teasing its follow-up (of course Albarn has kept very busy in the last 11 years). Merrie Land was produced by the band with Tony Visconti (David Bowie). A previous press release said the songs were written as Brexit was being negotiated and as the UK is attempting to leave the European Union, which creates "a reluctant good-bye letter, a series of observations and reflections on Britishness in 2018."

The previous press release further described the album: "Merrie Land's focus moves beyond GBQ's London-themed first album to a wider land, with a beautiful and hopeful paean to the Britain of today, an inclusive Britain, currently in an Anglo-Saxostentialist crises at the end of a relationship, wondering what might be salvaged. Could there be a more perfect band - with their creative symbiosis of pasts and present and shared acclaimed music histories - to reflect on the anticipation, disorientation and confusion of current life."

Gorillaz released a new album, The Now Now, back in June via Warner Bros.